To feel bloody sorry for some of the people who work in Job Centre

[NurseyWursey]

I had to go into today to discuss why I'm not working at the moment (few of you know, lets not get into that)

The lady who was seeing me said she'd be over in a minute, she was just dealing with another person so I waited. I was close enough to hear the conversation and I've got hawk ears and am nosy

Man: How am I supposed to print cvs out with no f*ckin money

Woman: X you missed your last appointment with us, you'd have money if you'd have come. You know it gets stopped if you don't come

Man: I didn't have any f*ckin money to come

Woman: I can see that you live less than a mile from here, or is there any disabilities or conditions you need to tell me about and I can arrange something for you

Man: no am not a cripple. why the f*ck should i have to walk to you. its too early in the mornin anyway me appointment i need sleep. i need money. you're not helping me

Woman: I'm really sorry X but if you want the money you need to come. You've come today so we can get the money reinstated. In the meantime the library round the corner lets you print for free, could you print some there?

Man: am not goin to no pssin library you stupid cow. wot you think I want to sit in a library for?

At this point he stands up being really abusive, the secretary had to escort him away. When it was my turn she was visibly upset.

:(

How can you help someone who isn't willing to help themselves? I know it's bloody hard when you're skint and emotions run high, and we get volatile especially if we have children to feed, but good grief.

On the plus side she was fab for me and helped me get access to some financial help until I'm ready to work again!
If this woman was you, to you!

I also know of a man who'd been made redundant after being with the same company for 40 years and obviously had paid all his contributions. He went to the job center to make a claim for the first time in his life and basically got treated like shit, like he was asking for something he had no right to. The attitude of some of the staff at these job centers is unbelievably bad and a lot of them should either be trained in "how to speak to people" or else hid away in an office out of sight of the general public.

Ths is also why the cash-in-hand job has returned with a vengeance.
Desperation drives people into illegal and unsafe work.

Cash in hand jobs.
Small loan companies
Food banks

I'd love to see if crime numbers have also increased.

Some rural areas have telephone signing.

As in all jobs there are nice people and not so nice people. It's sometimes quite difficult to be constantly smiling and nice to everyone when you have been abused and spat at. The accumulation of stress with very little support is difficult to deal with. I wouldn't say i disliked an entire group of workers like people are saying on here. Speak as you find.

Oh Lilly you summed up DH's experience succinctly with

If you are educated, employable and/or better off, they will make you jump through hoops to the point where you stop claiming as it is a waste of your time which could be spent job searching. If you are less likely to find a job, they will try to apply punitive measures to you for not doing everything they tell you too

He'd left school at 16, started an apprenticeship, worked his way up through the private sector, gained the right qualifications as he went and then worked his way up through the council, he was made redundant at 40. Every time he went it was a frustrating series of forms and as I said earlier the same person who'd given him the form would go on to say "Oh, thats the wrong form". They seemed to be happy to make life as complicated as possible and as you say, the time spent filling in their (wrong) paperwork could have easily been spent job hunting.

We are speaking as we find.
There are other jobs that involve a level of abuse, from working with the elderly as a carer, with the mentally unwell or with children that have additional needs. Doesn't mean that you should be vile to someone as a matter of course.
I've been spat on, had to deal with bodily fluids that weren't mine, sworn at, shoved bitten and had furniture thrown at me by children and parents over the years.
Should I treat future parents and children I encounter with hostility
Or should I remember that it is my job to treat everyone fairly and recognise the reasons behind the actions? Whilst avoiding getting damaged.

Oh we are fair game on here and in person.
Never mind we don't design policy (or are ever consulted) we have to implement whatever the govt of the day decide.
Never mind we don't sanction anyone. That is the job of the DMA who have met neither the officer or the customer.
Never mind the abuse, violence, unbearable pressure to meet random performance measures. Don't perform well? Here's a PIP, then bah bye.
We don't care if you have worked here for 25 years, you've exceeded your sickness absence, bah bye.

When you know the security measures will not stop some psycho getting to you. Or who the psycho will be.

I'd love some of you to sit in my shoes for a month or so. I refuse to go because I'm good at what I do and manage to make a difference to peoples lives most days. That's what matters. But FFS please have some compassion, it's really really hard.

Lilly you nailed it

If you are educated, employable and/or better off, they will make you jump through hoops to the point where you stop claiming as it is a waste of your time which could be spent job searching. If you are less likely to find a job, they will try to apply punitive measures to you for not doing everything they tell you too

Katie I don't think anyone on this thread has said all staff are like that. Some were incredibly nice, some were incredibly rude.

I'm sorry but if Job Centre staff treated all claimants with respect and not like something they've just trodden in then maybe I'd have some sympathy for them. Just look at the posts on here, my experiences aren't unique, sadly they are extremely common.

Not all unemployed are lazy, benefit scrounging scum. The vast majority are hard working people who've ended up in a bad situation through no fault of their own. A little bit of compassion wouldn't go a miss, treat people with respect and you might get it back.

Katie Most of the JC staff I've met have actually been very nice, there have been one or two that have been so truly condescending, it makes my wonder who taught them customer service.

Respect is a two way street, I've never given abuse to JC staff, so I dont appreciate some staff treating me as if Im exactly the same as the ones who have.

Loki this is also the motivation behind making highly qualified people do unpaid work experience and forcing them to interview for any job. Stopping people who have paid into the system from getting the pretty basic help that they are entitled to.

Sadly attitudes like those of the OP make this politically acceptable.

No one should have to put up with abuse and feel afraid if they are doing their job, but no one should be made to feel like a thick, lazy waste of space that would be better off dead, rather than wasting the vauable time of the employee of the job centre.
Which is how DD felt last week. Despite jumping all the sodding hoops.
I've told her she doesn't need to go back, that I can carry both of my children for as long as it takes for them to find somewhere that values them, and that I'd happily stick the money up a certain arse with her own broomstick.
So, we will see what next week brings.

No, what do you do Goblinchild? It's only fair that I should start a thread with my experience of whatever you do too.

I've been a teacher for almost thirty years.
I am hoping that next week, and thereafter, DD meets with a JC worker who actually wants to help her find a job instead of using her as a stress toy.
There must be many of them out there, just as not all teachers are as hateful as often claimed on MN and elsewhere. And not all social workers are child snatchers.

I agree with lily, I decided to really reign our horns in and stop claiming when I was made redundant after being treated like a piece of shit by my local job centre staff. I can't tell you how many times I left in tears. I was also threatened with sanctions if I didn't attend a 9am sign on, I explained I was dropping off my eldest at school and couldn't be there before 9:20 at the absolute earliest.

They also suggested dh dropped to part time to allow me to work full time and when I said evening jobs wouldn't be suitable two days a week because I was doing my access course I was told "we aren't here to support the likes of students". I countered with I thought I was to bolster my cv with additional qualifications, but apparently only nonsense like computer skills courses count. I did attend a job club cv class and was sent away because my cv was already spot on!

I could go on and on.

katie I get assaulted at work, verbal abuse daily and I've even had a shotgun in my face. Obviously I'm wary of things kicking off but I always make the effort to be nice to everyone. I've also never been abusive to to anyone serving me in return.

I feel sorry for the JC lady in the OP but I fail to see why it's OK for the guy to speak to me like that. He seemed to delight in the fact he reduced me to a sobbing wreck. No ounce of compassion for me. Why didn't I deserve some? I'm not an abusive client and I have no control over those who are to prevent prevent it. I should not be being punished for the actions of others.

You HAVE to separate each person from the people before and those after because it is the professional thing to do and more importantly you'll go mad if you don't.

They are no longer there to help people find jobs or to give help and advice about benefits. They are there to protect the public purse.

Some go above and beyond the requirements placed on them some don't.

The ones who do get shat on from a great height by their boss.

Yes I would feel sorry for her too op but have to say I've never ever met anyone nice working in the job centre

When I was on benefits they treated me like shit on their shoe. Yet I was always polite, made sure I was well turned out at my appointments, I was always co operative and willing to do what ever was asked of me.

But I guess they have to deal with a lot of shit so you can imagine why a lot of them end up miserable

UselessIdiot

I remember you from another thread. This job really isn't helping you, but that's not the point.

WE told you to change your username. It's a horrible nickname for you, you deserve much better.

when I said evening jobs wouldn't be suitable two days a week because I was doing my access course I was told "we aren't here to support the likes of students

What an arse. When I signed on back when I was doing my access course they knocked the hours down I was expected to look for work from 30 odd to 25 so I had college and study time

And they were absolutely full of praise about my qualifications, working all my life etc.

I feel really terrible for the people who've had such a bad experience and STILL have to go through with it.

And I feel sorry for the staff who get threatened and pee'd on

No. You get extra abuse.

I work very closely with the jcp in Thr town I work in and I do feel sorry for the coaches (advisors no longer)

The ones I work with are decent people, and their hands are completely tied with regards to what they do. I know they delay things where they can (for their clients advantage) and try to help people out.

I am also sure that some of the jcp staff are not at all like that but it's wrong to think they are all evil. The system is bad, and it frustrates them as much as the claimants.

My OH found the opposite at our local Job Centre. He attended all appointments, was willing to take any type of job and was willing to travel to get there.

Every time he went to the JC they offered him no help in finding a job whatsoever but just gave him a list of websites to look at,

So in our experience, the staff at our local JC get paid for doing precious little. I understand that this is not the case in everyone's experience.